Energon
Energon is the preferred fuel/energy source of Transformers. It has also been shown as food, intoxicating drink, ammunition, even currency. More, it has been described as the basic building block of all Transformers' bodies and sparks. Typically, energon is highly volatile. Even a small impact can cause energon to detonate explosively. The safest way to transport Energon is when it is condensed into the form of an energon cube. In this form energon is more stable, but still quite dangerous. Conceptual history When originally introduced, energon was a liquid fuel developed by the Decepticons and stored in cubes, which was created by processing virtually any available energy resource from fuel-burning to electricity. It was very rarely overtly stated, but episodes such as “Attack of the Autobots” and “Traitor” made it clear that energon was simply not employed by Autobots at this point in time. However, somewhere between the end of season two and The Transformers: The Movie, the Autobots also began using energon (the original script for the movie explained that Autobot City had been built to harness renewable, natural energy sources, thus supplying the Autobots with energon), and they continued to do so. It was used by both Autobots and Decepticons, and was created by processing natural resources such as oil, magma and even sonic energy. History Cartoon canon The history of energon is confusing at best. It appears to have been in use on Cybertron in the distant past: the inhabitants of the colony world of Paradron were aware of it in the year 2006, despite fleeing Cybertron during civil wars millions of years beforehand, and nine million years ago, Orion Pax and his Autobot dockworker companions were seen loading and transporting what very much appeared to be energon cubes as part of their daily routine. These accounts, then, seem to stand in complete contradiction to the Autobots subsequent apparent ignorance and disuse of the fuel during their early years on Earth and the Decepticons' monopolization of it —- but this would not be only time that Transformers were shown to have poor memories of their personal histories.Optimus Prime and Elita One completely forgot that Alpha Trion was their creator, for instance. Over 1984 and 1985, energon cubes were solely seen being used by the Decepticons. The cubes were a self-sustaining forcefield framework with no internal mechanisms, which was capable of converting virtually any form of energy that entered it into liquid energon. The empty cubes initially had to be generated by Soundwave, but other Decepticons eventually gained the ability to manifest them. The Autobots' lack of knowledge about energon was displayed almost immediately after Transformers awoke on Earth in 1984; upon learning of Megatron's plan to convert Earthly resources into the fuel, Hound could only report back to Optimus Prime that the villains were intending to create "some kind of cube". Indeed, even Starscream showed a lack of familiarity with the cubes, driven as he was to test them so he could make sure they worked. The Decepticons created energon from a massive amount of varied resources during their time on earth, ranging from conventional electricity, oil and geothermal to more esoteric, extra-dimensional sources like antimatter. The exact nature of the conversion process was never detailed, but usually simply involved taking an empty energon cube and attaching it to, or placing it next to, the energy source to be drained. The cube itself then carried out the conversion, processing the energy into liquid energon that filled the cube. Sometimes, the process required an Energon Transfer Device. Energon was occasionally influenced by the source materials used to create it, sometimes taking on its properties: Cubes created with anti-matter, for instance, reacted violently due to prolonged exposure to normal matter while the especially pure oil of Carbombya yielded a particularly potent "super-energon" that "smelled" different (according to Grimlock) and created an instantly perceptible increase in vigor and strength in those who consumed it. In addition to powering them personally, the Decepticons occasionally used energon for even more nefarious means; Megatron's arsenal included an energon mace, and the Decepticons once forged energon chains to bind the Autobots with. Energon was first seen being used as a currency in the form of chips —- by non-Cybertronians, no less —- in the den of iniquity known as Sheol, on the asteroid of Monacus, where the Decepticons were running a protection racket, forcing local crime boss Lord Gyconi to pay them a cut of his profits. This dank place was also home to the first documented instance of Autobots running on energon, when Gyconi powered up a group of Autobots he had captured with an unstable brew that quickly depleted and left them defenseless during pit fights. Other than this forced instance, the Autobots refrained from using energon during their first year on Earth: Ratchet was heard to balk at the notion of Mirage having energon cubes, while the Autobots used recharging chambers to re-energize themselves, rather than drinking energon. Evidently, however, they began experimenting and using energon some time in 1985; when describing his physiology to the Tlalakan Alana, Seaspray noted that he had an energon pump inside him, and when they captured the Stunticons, the Autobots used energon bars to imprison them. By the year 2005, they had fully embraced energon as their own fuel, and began creating and storing it at Autobot City on Earth. The Autobots followed the Decepticons' lead in their use of energon cubes, but also created the bite-sized "energon goodie". By 2006, use of energon had become widespread enough in the galaxy that it is on the menu at neutral alien space stations, sometimes served in the unique form of small orange wedges. After having the Heart of Cybertron installed in him, Megatron led the Decepticons in a toast to the impending destruction of the Autobots. During their consumption of liquid energon, the Decepticons became over-energized, and started to behave in a manner similar to a state of human drunkenness: Rumble began to hiccup (even though he doesn't need to breathe!), Thundercracker went offline, Megatron began to ramble about the "good old days" on Cybertron, and Laserbeak's navigational systems were impaired. Only Megatron was able to revive himself to an acceptable combat level when Powerglide showed up. This is only going to reinforce Megatron's superiority complex. MUX canon Energon is at first the specific power source of choice of the Decepticons exclusively, with the Autobots never using the material in their recorded adventures in the late 20th Century. By 2005, however - by choice or necessity - the Autobots had adopted energon as their fuel also. Energon has also been used as currency, mostly by entities that do not use it as sustenance, such as on the gambling asteroid of Monacus. Energon is "refined" or created out of other energy sources, sometimes through machinery, but most often simply by attaching an empty energon cube, or placing one next to, the energy source which will be converted. The cube then goes to work automatically, converting the power source into liquid energon which fills the cube. Liquid energon has a glowing pink color. When cubes are compressed, they takes on an iridescent rainbow effect. Energy sources refined into energon have included electricity, magma, oil and steam — all pillaged from Earth by the Decepticons on a regular basis. When the Autobots began using energon, on the other hand, they set up Autobot City to harmlessly harness Earth's many renewable resources and acquire the energy that way. The level of power any energon possesses appears to be related to the original base material from which it was converted — the especially pure oil of Carbombya, for example, yielded a particularly potent "super-energon" that created an instantly perceptible increase in vigour and strength in those who consumed it. Trivia *Drinking Liquid Energon makes robots get drunk "overcharged", shout "Energy! Energy!", talk about the "good ol' days", then pass out when the enemy attacks them. *Energon has been shown to be toxic to humans. References Category: Substances Category:Power sources Category:Substances Category:MacGuffins